Applying for Membership

To apply for HWA Membership, just follow the three steps below:

1. Determine Your Membership Category

SUPPORTING
Supporting membership in HWA is open to all those who are interested in horror; you do not need to meet any requirements. As an HWA Supporting Member, you may make recommendations for the Bram Stoker Awards, and you will receive other benefits available only to members.

AFFILIATE
If you would like to join HWA as a writer, but have sold only one or two short works, you might qualify for Affiliate membership. To determine whether you meet HWA’s Affiliate standards, please review our Membership Regulations. You may also wish to e-mail our Membership Chairman with specific questions. You will probably need to provide proof of sales in the form of photocopied contracts, check stubs, editorial correspondence, or copyright pages. As an HWA Affiliate Member, you may make recommendations for the Bram Stoker Awards, and will enjoy all the other benefits of membership except the right to run for office (other than Affiliate/Associate Trustee) or vote in elections or on Bram Stoker ballots.

To qualify for HWA membership on the basis of royalties when no advance was received, you must provide documentation of royalties paid by a publisher that meet the sales thresholds stated in the bylaws. Royalties must be for a single novel. Royalties, as defined in this context, do not include money earned by an author’s direct sale of books. Documentation must clearly show the title of your novel, your publisher, and the royalties your book has generated. Acceptable documentation shall include:

a royalty statement from your publisher; or

proof of payment (e.g. a scan of a check) and an e-mail or letter from your publisher confirming the total royalties paid

To qualify for HWA membership on the basis of earnings from a self-published novel, you must provide documentation of earnings paid by a self-publishing venue, such as Amazon. com, that meet the sales thresholds stated in the bylaws for sales within the first two years of publication. Earnings must be for a single novel. Earnings, as defined in this context, do not include money earned by an author’s direct sale of books. Documentation must be provided by a third party and clearly show the title of your work, the sales channel, and the earnings your book has generated. Acceptable documentation shall includ earnings statement(s) from your sales channel (i.e. Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com)

ASSOCIATE
If you are a non-writing horror professional (such as a bookseller, agent, illustrator, editor, teacher, or librarian), you should apply for Associate membership. You will need to supply convincing evidence of your professional affiliation in the form of a letterhead, company brochure, web site URL, etc. Associate members may make recommendations for the Bram Stoker Awards®, and enjoy all the other benefits of membership except the right to run for office (other than Affiliate/Associate Trustee) or vote in elections or on Bram Stoker Award® ballots.

ACADEMIC
If you are working as an academic and have an academic interest in the field of horror or dark literature you may apply for Academic membership. You will need to provide documentation of your research, teaching, writing, or other appropriate activities within the genre. This may include work published in academic journals, a class syllabus, lecture schedule, or similar materials. Academic members may make recommendations for the Bram Stoker Awards, and enjoy all the other benefits of membership except the right to run for office (other than Affiliate/Associate Trustee) or vote in elections or on Bram Stoker Award ballots.

ACTIVE
If you are an established professional writer, you should apply for Active membership. Active members enjoy all benefits of membership, including full voting privileges. To determine whether you meet HWA’s standards for professional writing, please review our Membership Regulations. You may also wish to e-mail our Membership Chairman with specific questions.

To qualify for HWA membership on the basis of royalties when no advance was received, you must provide documentation of royalties paid by a publisher that meet the sales thresholds stated in the bylaws. Royalties must be for a single novel. Royalties, as defined in this context, do not include money earned by an author’s direct sale of books. Documentation must clearly show the title of your novel, your publisher, and the royalties your book has generated. Acceptable documentation shall include:

a royalty statement from your publisher; or

proof of payment (e.g. a scan of a check) and an e-mail or letter from your publisher confirming the total royalties paid

To qualify for HWA membership on the basis of earnings from a self-published novel, you must provide documentation of earnings paid by a self-publishing venue, such as Amazon. com, that meet the sales thresholds stated in the bylaws for sales within the first two years of publication. Earnings must be for a single novel. Earnings, as defined in this context, do not include money earned by an author’s direct sale of books. Documentation must be provided by a third party and clearly show the title of your work, the sales channel, and the earnings your book has generated. Acceptable documentation shall include:

Current members who wish to upgrade should send documentation to the Membership Committee Chairman at membership@horror.org with the subject heading: Membership Upgrade Documentation.

HWA reserves the right to withhold membership from any individual or firm whose business practices do not meet generally recognized industry standards for ethical conduct.

2. Choose a Membership Type and Dues Rate

HWA offers three types of memberships. They are:

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIPS
Dues for individual Affiliate, Associate, Academic, and Active members are listed in the chart below; members joining at these levels receive one listing in the directory and one userID for access to HWA’s Members Only website. See the chart below for current rates. Supporting members receive one userID for limited access to HWA’s Members Only website.

CORPORATE MEMBERSHIPS
Corporate members receive one Directory entry (status is automatically “Associate”) and up to 10 userIDs for access to HWA’s Members Only website. All official street mail is sent to a single specified address. See the chart below for current rates.

FAMILY MEMBERSHIPS
Family membership holders (up to three members of a family, whose status will vary according to their individual qualifications) each receive separate listings in the Directory and separate userIDs for access to the HWA Members Only website. All official street mail is sent to a single specified address. See the chart below for current rates.

HWA’s dues year is the same as the calendar year, running from January 1 through December 31. If you join after March 31st, your dues will be prorated by a specific amount, depending on the date of your application. However, prorating applies only to individuals, businesses, and families who have not been members of HWA at any time in the previous two years. The proration schedule is as follows: